Clearing a relatives house, nobody wants stuff any more !

[bumblebee1000]

Clearing a late relatives house, contacted over 6 charity shops and refuges, Freecycle, Olio, Gumtree etc etc..only one bothered to turn up, the others cancelled or didn't turn up...lots of free items in good condition, sofas, freezers, fridges, etc....After 2 weeks of this, not one of the organisations took anything. The annoying thing is we sent pics and they agreed to take items, so now breaking up items and taking to council tip and booking a paid clearance company this week as house is sold and need to hurry up. All items with relevant fire labels, working etc.....Do people just all buy new things now and dont bother to get second hand..?

Small stuff on Freecycle goes quickly round us, we got rid of a load of magazines recently to someone doing collage. Big pieces of furniture or freezers can't sell as no-one can shift them, it cost me over £100 to hire a van to get a good sofa shifted, and most people can't do that quickly or to your timetable.

You also have to be very honest about condition, I looked at second-hand sofas in BHF stores when looking to get one, and the condition was awful in about 50%, I don't want someone else's stained furniture for £200 plus a van delivery. Some sofas are so large that they have to be assembled on site, same as wardrobes.

Small modern houses can't fit large old furniture in, you can't get rid of mahogany style large tables for love nor money.

If it's small, looks modern or is very stylish vintage, it will be easier to shift- everything else is too hard to move or fit in, so it's not surprising no-one wants to shift other people's old stuff around any more, it's cheaper to buy crap quality stuff online.

Our council has outsourced to a recycling/furniture charity and they do pick ups. Our local hospice also collect, they specifically have a furniture only store.

Alternatively we booked a clearance company, no fee, they sell recycle everything instead of the fee. They took everything, including white goods.

Actually I found the BHF very disappointing. I asked them on the phone if they accepted specific items eg a computer desk chair, they said they did, then the collection guys said 'no we don't take computer chairs' and left without saying they were leaving once they'd got other stuff. It meant I had to book someone else on a different day, and pay more, to remove everything, which I could have avoided had I known that would happen. This was in the north east and I'd advise anyone clearing a house there to be aware and look for other options.

I totally understand people not wanting second hand but don’t understand people getting into debt to buy furniture or missing other vital bills just so the house looks all matched together.

You have been really unlucky. I went through this process a few months ago and got rid of everything in a few days, a mixture of charities, car boot sellers and locals looking for a bargain.

Apart from charities being understaffed this time of year I can't explain your experience.

Have you tried the Salvation Army?

Not necessarily. When my then 23 year old daughter moved into her first flat (less than two years ago), the only things she bought new were a bed, a sofa, and some kitchen electrical appliances like a kettle and toaster.

Everything else was bought from charity shops or Facebook marketplace.

I'd just pay for a house clearance. I did that when dmum moved nearer us. It was too far for me to be able to coordinate beyond collecting the stuff she wanted to keep.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods/house-clearance

Most auction houses have 'general' sales where you will find boxes and boxes full of random old ornaments, crockery and bric-a-brac. Mostly bought cheaply by semi professional car booters. They do sell furniture & other large items, but I'm not sure about upholstered furniture - it would have to have the fire safety label on it unless it is vintage/antique.

The last stuff I gave away was on FB marketplace our sofa last year, a young couple setting up home had it and were very pleased. You can leave small items outside on the end of the drive as well and people take it.

Time of year has probably been a big part of your issue.

People who are hard up probably don’t have a house/flat big enough for a dining table. The PP herself said she rarely used it.

This.

I think we've also got used to the convenience of things like amazon where they deliver to you. Or ikea where it comes as a flat-packed box.

We have avoided buying second hand furniture, even though I have in the past, because of the hassle in getting it home all made up.

@SheilaFentiman

I'm not sure, I think some of them would rather have new even if the can't really afford it like another poster said about her niece and sofa

I'm surprised to hear these stories. Ercol and G plan would be so desirable in London and almost anything goes in the FB reuse group. I guess it partly depends on the density of people? Even an old big went from the garden whilst we were decorating!

From a relative's point of view - it's all about appearances. She wants to give the impression of being loaded, even if she isn't. She would absolutely take out credit to get something matchy matchy, would turn her nose up at anything second hand. A couple of christmasses ago she bought a coat, never wore it, few days after christmas saw it was reduced in the sale and TOOK IT BACK FOR A REFUND because she didn't want anyone to think she had bought it reduced and couldn't afford it full price.

Mental.

Soft furnishings like beds and sofas have become less popular second hand recently as bed bugs have been making a resurgence in the UK. Get those bastards in your house and you might as well set fire to all your furniture.

Maybe.

But as others have said, buying a sofa second hand means hiring a van, petrol for the van, having a place near enough your door to park it, getting it through your door(s), possibly rearranging work for you and your partner/a mate to collect at a convenient time etc.

We bought sofa on eBay for £2 or something - DH hired a van for £70 and took all of us with him to get it - just as well as he and the DSes had to lift it over a fence when it wouldn’t get through the seller’s door (she had stuck it on eBay to save herself the cost of a van to the tip - it was in great condition!)

If we had done all that and the sofa had smelled of smoke or been uncomfortable or whatever, it would have been a right pain and a waste of money. Buying from a shop is less risky.

The only place I buy second hand is BHF, because they will deliver locally for a modest fee (less than van hire!) if it doesn’t fit in the car. And I can sit on it first, get an idea of dimensions, measure it myself etc.

Yes I can see that

We tend to have things from relatives or pass things to our own dc so you know it's history

Yes, the warehouse is totally full up !...I have now put a post on Olio app and items will now be left in the drive way.

All gone......saws, sledgehammers.....broken up...driven to council tip...shame but we really tried and have been advertising on all the sites since october....Many thanks to the whole raft of total timewasters and clearance companies who failed to turn up or even message to council....
I will downsize myself in future so now know to start clearing very early on and be prepared to chuck stuff....!!

Sorry to read you had to get rid of it all, but at least you’ve got the house cleared now.

I’m planning to have a clear out myself as I have too much stuff and I know it will eventually become a nuisance for me or someone else. I find it really weird (and sobering) to see other people’s prized possessions end up as junk in a second-hand shop or at the tip. Not that I can always resist buying stuff I don’t need…